While You Were Puking: Pregnancy Medical News Weekly Update #14

Another week has gone by, and I’m now in my 10th week of pregnancy. It’s amazing how time flies! It’s also amazing how much can happen on the pregnancy-news front in just one week. There’s a lot of great new and helpful information out there for pregnant moms and women trying to get pregnant.

For instance, would you have ever guessed that the seasons play a role in successfully getting pregnant? It was news to me! And that’s far from the only interesting pregnancy news out this week.

After the jump, check out this week’s round-up of breaking pregnancy medical news.

SSRI Risky During Pregnancy 1 of 9

According to a new study, "there is clear and concerning evidence of risk with the use of the SSRI antidepressants by pregnant women, [and] that these drugs lead to worsened pregnancy outcomes." Additionally, there is no evidence at all of any benefits of using these antidepressants during pregnancy -- not for the mother or the baby.
Source; Medical XpressPhoto via Flickr: Creative Commons

Women With Depression Less Consistent With Birth Control 2 of 9

New research from the University of Michigan shows that women who are severely depressed and/or suffer from high levels of anxiety and stress are 50 percent less likely to take their birth control consistently. The study suggests that women with "debilitating mental health issues" face decision-making challenges.
Source: Daily MailPhoto via Flickr: Creative Commons

Literacy Rate Linked to Teen Pregnancy 3 of 9

Independent of other influences, low literacy rates in pre-teen girls is an indicator of an increased risk of teenage pregnancy. Specifically, the study showed that "girls with less-than-average reading levels were two and a half times more likely to give birth in their earlier teens."
Source: Medical News TodayPhoto via Flickr: Creative Commons

Relaxation Therapy Helps Women Get Pregnant 4 of 9

Stress management and relaxation therapy significantly helped women's chances of getting pregnant, according to a new study. Eighty-eight percent of women who took part in relaxation therapy that included breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery became pregnant, as opposed to the 60 percent who did not participate in relaxation therapy and who became pregnant.
Source: United Press InternationalPhoto via Flickr: Creative Commons

Pregnancy Drug Under Scrutiny After Meningitis Outbreak 5 of 9

A pregnancy drug knock-off, Makena, that was created by pharmacies to cost no more than $40 per dose (as opposed to its $1,500-a-dose brand name counterpart), is under scrutiny after the recent meningitis outbreak. The drug has never been officially approved by the FDA, but federal officials allowed the sale of the knock-off because it would be accessible to more women. While no women have been injured by the injectable drug, it has been recalled.
Source: NBC NewsPhoto via Flickr: Creative Commons

A new study out if Canada suggests that children whose mothers lost significant weight before getting pregnant had healthier heart function than their siblings who were born before the mother lost weight. DNA analysis shows that the mother's weight at the time of birth influences whether certain genes are turned on or off in her children, which "affects their future risk for obesity and heart disease."
Source: Newsmax HealthPhoto via Flickr: Creative Commons

A new study suggests that seasonal changes may affect the success rate of IVF. Results are seemingly better during spring and fall. Summer and winter had the lowest success rates, 18 and 21 percent respectively. Additionally, the number of eggs retrieved were lowest in summer and winter. There are no concrete reasons to explain these finding, only guesses for now. Research to explain these results is ongoing.
Source: Health24Photo: iStockphoto

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